Study of Maine School Administrative Units’ Capacity to Support Preschool Special Education - Prepared by Amy F. Johnson - June 2022

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys

Report presenting findings from a May 2022 survey of 125 Maine superintendents and special education directors. The survey assesses awareness of policy discussions on transferring responsibility for preschool special education services from Child Development Services to School Administrative Units (SAUs), and evaluates SAU capacity to oversee these programs. Results show strong familiarity with proposed changes and mixed confidence levels in taking on responsibility. Capacity is weakest in staffing and caseload resources, while screening and parent communication show greater readiness, with additional variation across SAU types.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Summary

Introduction

Methods

Survey Participation

Findings

Questions Asked of All SAUs

Questions Asked of SAUs that Offer Public Preschool

Questions Asked of SAUs that Do Not Currently Offer Public Preschool

Questions Asked of SAUs Participating in the CDS Pilot

Early Successes

Biggest Challenges

Conclusion

Acknowledgements

Appendix A: Feedback to Policymakers

Comments from Respondents in SAUs with Public Preschool Programs

Comments from Respondents in SAUs without Public Preschool Programs

Appendix B: Geographic Representation of Survey Respondents

University of Southern Maine USM Digital Commons | School Improvement | Center for Education Policy, Applied Research and Evaluation (CEPARE) | | --- | --- | | 2022
Study of Maine School Administrative Units' Capacity to Support Preschool Education
Amy F. Johnson Phd
University of Southern Maine, Center for Education Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation
Follow this and additional works at: [https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cepare_improvement](https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cepare_improvement) | | Recommended Citation Johnson, Amy F. Phd, "Study of Maine School Administrative Units' Capacity to Support Preschool Education" (2022) . School Improvement. 32. [https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cepare_improvement/32](https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cepare_improvement/32) This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Education Policy, Applied Research and Evaluation (CEPARE) at USM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in School Improvement by an authorized administrator of USM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [jessica.c.hovey@maine.edu](jessica.c.hovey@maine.edu). Study of Maine School Administrative Units’Capacity to Support Preschool Special Education Prepared by: Amy F. Johnson June 2022 Maine Education Policy Research Institute University of Southern Maine Gorham, Maine 1 Table of Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 2 Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Survey Participation ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Findings ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Questions Asked of All SAUs.........................................................................................................................4 Questions Asked of SAUs that Offer Public Preschool ...................................................................... 11 Questions Asked of SAUs that Do Not Currently Offer Public Preschool.................................... 13 Questions Asked of SAUs Participating in the CDS Pilot .................................................................. 15 Early Successes............................................................................................................................................................... 15 Biggest Challenges ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... 17 Appendix A: Feedback to Policymakers ..................................................................................... 18 Comments from Respondents in SAUs with Public Preschool Programs .................................. 18 Comments from Respondents in SAUs without Public Preschool Programs ........................... 20 Appendix B. Geographic Representation of Survey Respondents..................................... 21 Study of Maine School Administrative Units’ Capacity to Support Preschool Special Education Amy Johnson [amyj@maine.edu](amyj@maine.edu) Summary

FAQs

What was the purpose of the May 2022 survey?

The survey determined districts’ awareness of policy discussions about transferring preschool special education responsibility from Child Development Services to School Administrative Units (SAUs), and assessed SAUs’ current capacity to oversee these programs.

How familiar were SAU leaders with the proposed policy changes?

Nearly all responding SAU leaders (96%) were familiar with the types of changes proposed, indicating adequate communication from state leaders and professional organizations.

Which SAU capacity areas were reported as strongest and weakest?

Respondents reported inadequate capacity mainly in staffing and caseload capacity, while they felt most capable in screening, communicating with parents, and preschool classroom teachers’ familiarity with Maine’s Early Learning and Development Standards.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys